Devotion to Mary in the life of a Vincentian(August 1, 2025) Devotion to Mary in the life of a Vincentian
Devotion to Mary, the Mother of God, was part of Frederic Ozanam’s life from childhood to death. He sought her intercession often. Devotions to Mary have been a part of our Vincentian meeting prayers for many years and seem to have waned in the last few decades. When Frederic’s body was exhumed the first time, a rosary was found with him. If you read the stories of the History of Ozanam and examine the letters he wrote you will see a great love, respect and devotion to Our Lady. Frederic’s devotion to Mary was directed particularly, but not exclusively, to the patroness of his city of Lyon. His personal devotion to Mary was shown early in his life, and reappeared in various forms at different decades. Frederic’s devotion to Mary was shown as a teenager in his poetry. One of his favorite subjects was the praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When he was in his early twenty’s, Frederic wrote, “I place my intentions under the auspices of our Divine Mother.” Frederic was thirty-two years old when his daughter was born. He considered her birth a response to the blessing and intercession of the Mother of God. He named his little girl, Marie after her mother and the Blessed Virgin. Frederic wrote in 1845, about her birth, “We have called her Marie, which is her mother’s name, as well as that of the powerful protector to whose intercession we attribute this happy birth.” Let us pray that our devotion to our lady grow in the Society and in the world. Her love of her Son Jesus, her obedience to God’s call and her gentleness can be embedded in our ministry. Deacon John Girolami Spiritual Advisor SSVP Ontario Regional Council |
